Seven Premier League youngsters are pushing for first-team opportunities after delivering standout pre-season performances ahead of the new season curtain-raiser on August 21. A number of young talents have caught the eye of supporters during tours across the globe as they attempt to stake their claims for regular minutes.
Brian Madjo at Aston Villa
Brian Madjo has made headlines after being cleared to play for Aston Villa in the upcoming season. Aston Villa won their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after the 17-year-old was initially blocked from playing under FIFA rules regarding the international transfer of minors.
Born in London, Madjo was raised in Luxembourg and made three international appearances for Luxembourg before switching nationality. Aston Villa signed the teenager from Metz in January for £10million, a price that raised eyebrows across the league.
The 6ft 4in forward has scored four goals in pre-season and is drawing comparisons to Romelu Lukaku. He scored in Aston Villa's pre-season win at Walsall.
England international Ollie Watkins had an extended break following the World Cup, while Tammy Abraham is returning from a shoulder issue. Combined with Champions League football and the departures of Morgan Rogers and Jadon Sancho, Madjo is building hope of becoming a regular contributor. Nearly three years after Emery handed a 19-year-old Jhon Durán his debut, another teenage forward appears destined for minutes.
Dastan Satpaev at Chelsea
Dastan Satpaev has attracted widespread attention on social media after scoring just seven minutes into Chelsea's game against Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia. The Kazakh forward finished a team move coolly, generating over one million likes on a post that sparked debate over his dominant foot due to his skill with both feet.
New Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso praised the 17-year-old winger after the match. "He is really strong, really quick, you will be really impressed with him," Alonso said.
Satpaev faces significant competition from Chelsea's 40-player squad and extensive attacking talent. However, the Kazakhstan teenager aims to leverage his playing experience in Kazakhstan and technical ability to force Alonso to make decisions.
Jonah Kusi-Asare at Fulham
Jonah Kusi-Asare is aiming to secure first-team action at west London neighbours Fulham. The 19-year-old Swedish forward joined Fulham permanently from German powerhouses Bayern Munich this summer following a successful loan period.
The 6ft 5in striker made ten first-team appearances last season while also proving effective for the U21s, scoring four goals in five appearances. He produced an encouraging display against Al-Ahly, winning several free-kicks in the latter stages of the game.
The departures of Raul Jimenez and Harry Wilson have left a gap in attacking output. New Fulham boss Alvaro Arbeloa has signalled that he wants to place a greater emphasis on youth talent, which could provide Kusi-Asare a pathway to regular football.
Trey Nyoni at Liverpool
Trey Nyoni has emerged as one of the leading stories out of Liverpool's pre-season because of the confidence and creativity he exudes. The 19-year-old midfielder demonstrated this in the build-up to Florian Wirtz's goal against Leeds, while also recording the most passes into the final third in that match with eight.
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola praised Nyoni's maturity and bravery. "Even when he [Trey] has one opponent quite close, he asks for that ball and he's confident, he doesn't rush. For me, that is very valuable," Iraola said.
Nyoni will look to follow Rio Ngumoha in establishing himself in the first-team squad. He has made the most of the absence of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch following their World Cup break, while exploiting Curtis Jones' inconsistent performances to pave a pathway to opportunities.
Jacob Devaney at Manchester United
Jacob Devaney announced his primary target during a pre-season press conference. "The main aim for me is to play for Manchester United week in, week out," the Republic of Ireland Under-21 international said.
The 19-year-old midfielder featured at centre-half during Manchester United's match against Wrexham. Manager Michael Carrick highlighted Devaney's efforts despite the team's lacklustre performance.
"JD playing centre-half, it’s not natural to him, he’s played there a little bit, but not a lot and I thought he did ever so well," Carrick said. Carrick also pointed to Devaney's loan spell at St Mirren last season: "He had a really successful few months up there [in Scotland] and it was good to see him kind of take that next step. And you could see today the confidence and the assurance in his game, even though he was playing a slightly different position."
Ryan McAidoo at Manchester City
Ryan McAidoo is hoping for a bigger role at Manchester City after joining from Chelsea two years ago. The 18-year-old winger was given his debut last season by Pep Guardiola and scored in a 10-1 victory over Exeter City.
McAidoo impressed against Inter Milan on Saturday, proving a constant threat against the Italian backline and nearly nestling an effort into the back post. Manchester City manager Maresca commented on the winger after the game.
"We have been speaking with the club about Ryan and since day one, he is that kind of winger I love… very aggressive one v one, always trying, making the right decision," Maresca said. Maresca pointed out his track record with youth players: "When I was at Leicester, that season there was a record number of debutants. When I was at Chelsea, record debutants from the academy." McAidoo hopes to follow the path of Phil Foden, Nico O'Reilly and Cole Palmer in earning first-team minutes.
Ibrahim Osman at Brighton
Ibrahim Osman has given Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler food for thought after taking his pre-season opportunities. The 21-year-old Ghanaian winger scored two goals in pre-season, producing a spectacular overhead kick against Wycombe and a penalty against Strausberg.
Osman joined Brighton from FC Nordsjælland in 2024 before loan spells at Feyenoord and Auxerre. He spent last season on loan at Birmingham, scoring four goal contributions in 17 matches for the Championship team.
Hurzeler offered vocal praise for Osman alongside teenager Amario Cozier-Duberry, stating: "So just talking about Osman, about Amario, they had a very impactful pre-season so far." With the demands of the Conference League, the departure of Danny Welbeck and injuries to Mitoma, Osman is eyeing a breakthrough at the East Sussex outfit.
